Test Design and Delivery Certificate

Planning the Test
Addressing Legal Considerations
Employment Laws
Best Practices
Developing the Testing Plan
Establishing Validity
Methods of Establishing Validity
Identifying Content Areas to Test
Determining the Number of Test Items
Time Examinees Need to Respond to Items
Weighting the Test Content Areas
Identifying Benefits and Challenges of Delivery Methods
Categories of Item Types
Pros and Cons of Item Formats

Creating the Test Items
Anatomy of a Multiple-Choice Item
General Guidelines for Item Construction
Constructing the Item Stem
Constructing the Options
Practice Reviewing Items
Visuals
Additional Ideas
Reviewing for Good Item-Writing Principles
Using Item Shells
Increasing the Cognitive Level
Verbs Associated with Cognitive Levels
What Level is Required?
Avoiding Bias
Avoiding Stereotyping
Providing Rationales for Items
Justifying the Answer Key
Linking the Item Content to the Test Content Outline

Creating the Test Form
Developing Test Directions
Test Directions Checklist
Writing Administrator Directions
Test Administrator Directions Checklist
Complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act
Avoiding National Origin Discrimination
Allocating Sufficient Time
Using an Item Bank
Using Item Banks for Test Assembly
Item Formatting, Sequencing, and Page Layout
Setting Passing Standards
Using the Angoff Method

Delivering the Test
Ensuring Test Security
Establishing Test–Retest Policies
Controlling Item Exposure
Limiting Opportunities for Cheating

Evaluating the Test
Using Item-Level Data to Improve Item Quality
Item Analysis
Interpreting Item-Analysis Data
Practice Interpreting Item-Analysis Data
Using Test-Level Data to Improve Test Quality
Types of Reliability
Developing Rater Training
Conducting Rater Training
Calculating Reliability Using KR-20
Calculating Reliability through Mastery Classification Consistency
Validity of Test Scores
Documenting the Test Development and Design Process
Communicating the Test Results
Instructions for Interpretation

To receive the certificate of completion and continuing education credits, participation in all originally scheduled days of the program, including both face-to-face and live online formats, and completion of all coursework and a program evaluation are mandatory.

Face-to-Face Programs:

• Participants who miss more than two hours of the entire program will not be eligible to receive the certificate.

• Make-up policy: There is no make-up policy for face-to-face programs.

Live Online Programs:

• ATD requires active participation throughout the program to receive credit. Active participation in live online sessions includes, but is not limited to, participating in virtual classroom activities, discussions, breakout sessions, and intersession work.

• Make-up policy: You can miss and make up one session* by listening to a session recording. Instructions for reporting make-up sessions are posted on ATD’s learning platform.

*For live online programs with full-day sessions, you can miss a maximum of three and a half hours and must make up the time by listening to the recording.

A laptop computer with Wi-Fi capability is required for both face-to-face and online programs. 

Face-to-Face Programs: Please do not bring mobile devices (for example, phones or tablets) instead of a laptop. There will be no computers available on-site for participants. Note: You might not have an optimal experience using Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge to access your courses. Chrome is the recommended browser.  

Live Online Programs: You will receive a notification via email when your course is available on ATD’s learning platform. You must log in to the learning platform to access course content and to join all live online sessions. Special software is not required. You only need a standard web browser and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) capability to participate. Please join your session from a location with a strong internet connection and plan to use VoIP for your audio during the entire session.   

Enrolled in a program? To check your course status and enrollment details, launch your course, or download your certificate, go to MyATD.

Transfers/Cancellations
Review our cancellation policy.

ATD Health and Safety Policy
View our health protocols for in-person courses.

Frequently Asked Questions
Have additional questions about ATD courses? Visit our FAQs for answers.